The historian, ethnographer, writer, and labor and revolutionary leader. De Los Reyes founded the first labor union in the Philippines. He was the son of Leona Florentino, a major Iloko poet. Along with Pascual Poblete, he founded the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) on August 3, 1902 (100 Events that Shaped the Philippines, 278). Founder of the first Philippine Labor Union, Isabelo de los Reyes was the son of Elias de los Reyes and poetess Leona Florentino of Vigan, Ilocos Sur. He was born on July 7, 1864, attended the Seminary of Vigan and obtained his A.B. degree at Letran; studied law and paleography at Santo Tomas, wrote in various periodicals wherein he discussed social and political issues and advocated reforms that led to his imprisonment. After he had written "Memoria Sobre la Revolucion Filipina, 1896-1897", wherein he denounced Spanish colonial administration and the friars, he was deported to the Castle of Montjurich in Barcelona. He was set free in February, 1899, and was called to the Ministerio de Ultramar where he became a member of the Junta de Publicaciones and one of the judges of Barcelona. He also edited El Defensor de Filipinas and Filipinas Ante Europa, official organs of the Philippine Republic in Spain, and wrote "El Folklore Filipino", "Historia de Ilocos", and "Las Visayas en la epoca de la conquista". These works won for him medals in international expositions held in Paris, Madrid and St. Louis. After the capture of Aguinaldo, he was named Secretary of the Interior. In 1901, de los Reyes founded the Philippine Independent Church with Gregorio Aglipay, the Union Obrera Democratica in 1902, and served as the director of La Redencion de Obrero and La Iglesia Independiente. He organized labor strikes in Manila and suburbs, threatening to over-throw big American businesses. This caused his imprisonment. In 1905, he was back in Spain and served as a member of the jury in Madrid until 1909. He was elected councilor of Manila in 1912 and again in 1916. From 1922-1928, he was a Senator, representing the first senatorial district. Isabelo de los Reyes was stricken with paralysis in 1929 and at the age of 74, died on Oct. 10, 1938. He had three wives: Josefina Sevilla Hizon, a Filipina; Maria Angeles Lopez Montero, a Spaniard; and Maria Lim, a native with Chinese blood. Of his 27 known children, 15 had survived him.